Contents [hide]

Best History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Best History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Netherlands
England
France

The name Best is an old Languedoc name. It comes from when the family lived in Languedoc included the southeastern portion of the Massif Central, a plateau in the south of France, and ran from the province of Rousillon, in the west, to the Rhône River, forming the border with Provence, in the east. Its capital was Toulouse. It was formed around the county of Toulouse. It was named after the language in use in the region. Langue d'oc means "the language that uses oc for yes," as opposed to the northern dialect, langue d'oïl, which means "the language that uses oïl for yes."

Early Origins of the Best family

The surname Best was first found in Languedoc, where the family were formerly seated.

"This great Norman house was divided into two branches, that gave their name to Bec-Crespin and Bec-en Caux, and claimed to descend from Duke Rollo's daughter Crispina, the wife of Grimaldi, Prince of Monaco. Other authorities derive them from Amfrid the Dane, whose son Turstin Goz is given as the common ancestor of the house of Avranches, Earls of Chester, and the Barons of Bec-Crespin, hereditary Constables of Normandy, and Castellans of Tillieres. " 1

Early History of the Best family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Best research. Another 429 words (31 lines of text) covering the years 1234, 1271, 1292, 1307, 1529 and 1700 are included under the topic Early Best History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Best Spelling Variations

The many different spellings of French surnames can be partially explained by the use of local dialects and by the influence of other languages during the early development of the French language. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Best is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Bes, Bès, Besse, Bèse, Bez, Bec, Bèce, Bècce, Besses, Bess, Best, Beste, Bèze, Baiz, Baize, Baise, Baisse, Baisses, Le Bes, Le Bès, Le Besse, Le Bèse, Le Bez, Le Bec, Le Bèce, Le Bècce, Le Besses, Le Bess, Le Best, Le Beste, Le Bet, Le Bett, Le Bette, De Bèze, De Baiz, De Baize, De Baise, De Baisse, De Baisses, De Bes, De Bès, De Besse, De Bèse, De Bez, De Bec, De Bèce, De Bècce, De Besses, De Bess, De Best, De Beste, De Bet, De Bett and many more.

Early Notables of the Best family

More information is included under the topic Early Best Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Best World Ranking

In the United States, the name Best is the 737^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Best is ranked the 687^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,604 people with that name. 3 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Best is the 131^st popular surname with an estimated 282 people with that name. 4 Australia ranks Best as 612^nd with 6,388 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Best as 634^th with 1,125 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Best as 557^th with 11,675 people. 7

Best migration to the United States +

French settlers came early to North American, following in the wake of the explorers, and creating New France. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain is said to have been the first American site founded as a permanent settlement, rather than as just a commercial outpost. But emigration was slow, in 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 French people in Quebec, and by 1663, when the region was officially made The Royal Colony of New France, by Louis XIV, there still only around 500 settlers. Over 2,000 would arrive during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted immigrants, both noble and commoner from France. By 1675, there were around 7000 French in the colony, and by that same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Despite the loss of the Colony to England, the French people flourished in Lower Canada. Among settlers to North America of the Best surname were

Best Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Christopher Best, who landed in Virginia in 1623 8
Christopher Best, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1624 8
John Best, from Canterbury, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules", bound for Salem 8
Thomas Best, who settled in Virginia in 1635
Georg Best, who landed in Virginia in 1639 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Hirg Best, who landed in New York in 1709 8
Wilhelm Best, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 8
Boston Best, who landed in North Carolina in 1748 8
Johan Adam Best, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1751 8
Joh Georg Best, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Tho Best, aged 22, who landed in Wiskasset (Wiscasset) in 1803 8
James Best, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1805 8
George Best, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 8
Seragh Best, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 8
Ruth Best, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Anthony Best, (b. 1876), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th March 1900 en route to Ishpenning, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. John Best, (b. 1879), aged 21, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th March 1900 en route to Ishpenning, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. James Best, (b. 1874), aged 27, Cornish builder, from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th June 1901 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 9
Mr. Sydney Best, (b. 1875), aged 26, Cornish student, from St. Blazey, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Etruria" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 22nd June 1901 en route to Massachusetts, USA 9
Mr. John Best, (b. 1884), aged 19, Cornish blacksmith, from St. Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th April 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Best Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

William Best, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749
Mr. Adam Best U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 10
Mr. Conrade Best U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 he died in 1785 10
Mr. Hermanus Best U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 10
Mr. Jacob Best, "Jacobus" Jr., U.E. who settled in Carleton Island, Saint Lawrence River, Ontario [New York] c. 1783 he served as part of the King's Royal Regiment of New York 2nd Battalion died in 1783 in Carleton Island [Cape Vincent], New York 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Best, who landed in Prince Edward Island in 1817
Emmanuel Best, who landed in Canada in 1828

Best migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Best Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Sarah Best, (Catapodi, Brown), English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11

Best Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Best, British convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for life, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, the settlement was listed as abandoned and most of the convicts transported to Tasmania on the "Queen" in 1804 12
Miss Ann Best, (b. 1786), aged 26, English cotton spinner who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Emu" in October 1812, the ship was captured and the passengers put ashore, the convicts were then transported aboard the "Broxburnebury" in January 1812 arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1829 13
Philip Best, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. George Best, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
Mr. George Best, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Best Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Best, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1836 aboard the ship Patriot
William Best, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840
Charles Best, aged 23, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842
Ann Best, aged 22, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842
Daniel Best, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir Charles Forbes" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Best migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16

Best Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Richard Best, (b. 1617), aged 18, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 17

Contemporary Notables of the name Best (post 1700) +

Carrie Best OC ONS (1903-2001), Canadian journalist and social activist, from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, the first black owner and publisher of a Nova Scotia newspaper
Ben Best (1974-2021), American actor, writer, and producer, known for his work on Superbad, What Happens in Vegas, Observe and Report, and Land of the Lost
James Best (1926-2015), born Jules Guy, an American actor, best known for his starring role as bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the CBS television series The Dukes of Hazzard
Jacob Best Sr. (1786-1861), American brewer who founded what would later become known as the Pabst Brewing Company
David Best (b. 1945), American sculptor
Steven Best (b. 1955), American animal rights activist, author, talk-show host, and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso
Rex Best, American award-winning soap opera writer
Alice Mona Best (1924-1988), née Shaw, a British music club proprietor, best known as the owner of The Casbah Coffee Club, a club in Liverpool which served as a venue for rock and roll music during the late 1950s and 1960s including the Beatles which included her son, Pete Best (b. 24 November 1941) was a drummer at the time
Ronald Alexander "Ron" Best (1949-2020), Australian rules footballer and politician, National Party member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1988 to 2002, representing North Western Province
Prof. Serena Michelle Best C.B.E., FREng., CEng., FIMMM., British Professor of Materials Science for the University of Cambridge was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 17th June 2017, for services to Biomaterials Engineering
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Best family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. Alfred Best (d. 1912), aged 38, English First Class Saloon Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 18

St. Francis Dam

Mr. Paul J. Best, Canadian born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928

The Best Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Animi viam monstrat eis
Motto Translation: Just for fun way to show them

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Emu
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html